What's on the Dark Side of the Moon？ Latest Discovery! скачать в хорошем качестве

What's on the Dark Side of the Moon？ Latest Discovery!

The era when primitive peoples observed with surprise the constant changes in the shape of the Moon every evening is now long gone. Over time, the culture of worship that people dedicated to Selene or Isis – once venerated under various names as our night light – also disappeared. However, the mystical power of the Moon has already dissipated, and today even children know that it is nothing more than a simple celestial body that revolves around our planet. Unfortunately for the last romantics, the lunar surface has already been firmly trodden by astronauts dressed in spacesuits, and fragments of its “sacred” mantle – the regolith – have begun to be analyzed in laboratories on Earth. The expression “as inaccessible as the dark side of the Moon” has also lost its former meaning. In recent years, we have learned more about the dark side of the Moon than in all the thousands of years before. However, it is common knowledge that, as our horizon of understanding expands, new questions inevitably continue to arise. The latest research on the Moon not only surprises us deeply, but also raises a succession of new enigmas. This is particularly evident when it comes to the far side of the Moon, where this effect stands out even more. History of research on the far side of the Moon Why is it that we can only see one side of the Moon when we observe it from Earth? Many people have the false impression that this is because the Moon does not rotate on its axis at any time. However, in reality, the reason is that the period of rotation of the Moon and that of its revolution around the Earth are perfectly synchronized. For this reason, over millennia of observations, the Moon has always presented the same side facing the Earth. Due to this behavior, which many find intriguing, there are those who believe that the Moon is not a natural celestial body, but rather an artificial structure built by extraterrestrials to discreetly monitor human beings. If we leave aside “indirect” approaches – such as geochemical and geophysical methods –, the beginning of direct investigations into the far side of the Moon dates back to 1959, when the Soviet probe Luna 3 photographed that region. In just 40 minutes, the probe captured 29 photos, albeit of low resolution, covering about 70% of the far side of the Moon. How does the far side of the Moon differ from the visible side? With detailed studies of our closest satellite, especially the recent huge discoveries of two Chinese missions, it has become clear that there are gigantic differences between the visible side and the hidden side of the Moon. For example, we are now beginning to understand why the hidden side reflects more light, a puzzle that has puzzled scientists for a long time. In fact, the almost total scarcity of what we call “lunar seas” – only 2% in this region – is the main factor that explains this phenomenon. A “lunar sea” is any large area covered by dark lava, which appears as large dark spots on the surface. As we know, about 30% of the visible side of the Moon is covered by these “seas”, giving it that characteristic appearance when observed from here. Based on the data collected, scientists from Brown University formulated a coherent theory about a colossal impact that the Moon suffered billions of years ago. Based on computer simulations, they estimate that this impact was precisely responsible for the formation of the gigantic mountain range in the region of the south pole on the hidden side. As a result of this collision, an immense amount of heat was released and traveled throughout the interior of the Moon, reaching the opposite end. A new beginning for the space race? The current situation of lunar exploration brings to mind the period of the 1960s and 70s of the last century, when the United States and the Soviet Union competed vigorously in the space race. At that time, this climate of competition served as a driving force, and both the United States and the Soviet Union achieved astonishing results in the exploration of space near Earth. While the US Apollo program led countless astronauts to walk on the lunar surface, the Soviet Union sent rovers that actively moved around there. It is understandable that many attribute the magnitude of these scientific achievements precisely to the intense rivalry between the two superpowers. Now, however, a similar scenario is beginning to emerge between the United States and China, with an increasing escalation of disputes. However, this time, it seems clear that China seeks to occupy a leading position, moving forward with ambitious projects. China has already announced its plans to build an international research base at the south pole of the Moon in the near future. In the early stages, this facility would have as its main objectives the prospecting and mining of mineral resources, as well as the search for and use of ice found in the lunar subsoil.